Welcome to those who are new to the Rutherford Whanau and community and welcome back to those we know already. Thank you to all families for entrusting the care of your sons and daughters with us.

A strong rope starts with just a few threads

The message for the start of the year to our various year groups can be summarised as follows.

Success in life in simplistic terms “work hard, be nice, good things happen.”

Striving for Personal Excellence

Tohea Striving for personal excellence is all about little positive steps in the right direction repeated often. Mahi tahi or working hard on what is important helps builds strong resilient characters. At Rutherford, you will learn or have reinforced that “We are what we repeatedly do; Excellence is not an act but a habit”. We are all individuals.  So never compare yourself to the best that others can be only to the best that you can be.

You may not always achieve your goal at the first attempt but by working hard and seeking feedback about the next steps needed you will be moving in the right direction. If you start early and make gradual and consistent steps in the right direction, the chances of getting to the distant horizon just gets closer.

So please remember that what you do now in year 9 will make a difference down the track.  Pursue personal academic excellence from day one and aim to achieve to your maximum. It is important that you all show an interest in the wider life of the school and get involved in sport, culture or the performing arts or all three if you have the ability and time. Make the most of the opportunities because they are never as available as they are to you now.

What else do we value at Rutherford? He taonga rongonui te aroha ki te tangata|Goodwill towards others is a precious treasure. At Rutherford we know this to mean we value little acts of human kindness and acre and if we have nothing good to say including what we post or like online we don’t say anything. We do no harm.

At Rutherford Ko te korero te aki a te rangatira | We understand that Words are the foods of chiefs or leaders. People who display respect, whakaute and take personal responsibility manaakitnga choose their words and their actionscarefully and by default choose to be positive. This creates energy, we don’t value energy vampires at Rutherford.

What does it sound like? It includes that at Rutherford that we say please, thank you, excuse me and sorry. Common courtesy is a key ingredient in the development of a strong character and helps establish and retain respect with people.

Happiness and therefore success in life can be as simple as this – work hard, be kind, good things happen.